Ex Parte Dickinson

711 So. 2d 984, 1998 WL 57754
CourtSupreme Court of Alabama
DecidedMarch 20, 1998
Docket1961017
StatusPublished
Cited by29 cases

This text of 711 So. 2d 984 (Ex Parte Dickinson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ex Parte Dickinson, 711 So. 2d 984, 1998 WL 57754 (Ala. 1998).

Opinion

711 So.2d 984 (1998)

Ex parte David DICKINSON and Sandra Dickinson.
(Re David DICKINSON and Sandra Dickinson v. CHRIS MYERS PONTIAC-NISSAN-GMC, INC., et al.).

1961017.

Supreme Court of Alabama.

February 13, 1998.
Rehearing Overruled March 20, 1998.
Opinion Dissenting from Overruling of Rehearing March 20, 1998.

*985 L. Daniel Mims and James A. Johnson of L. Daniel Mims, P.C., Mobile, for petitioners.

David P. Shepherd and Mark S. Gober of Law Offices of David P. Shepherd, Fairhope, for respondents.

COOK, Justice.

David Dickinson and Sandra Dickinson petition for a writ of mandamus directing Judge Douglas I. Johnstone of the Mobile Circuit Court to vacate an order compelling arbitration of a dispute between the Dickinsons and Chris Myers Pontiac-Nissan-GMC, Inc. ("Chris Myers"). We grant the petition in part and deny it in part.

In January 1996, the Dickinsons, husband and wife, began negotiating with employees of Chris Myers for the purchase of a new automobile. On January 25, 1996, the parties reached an agreement, according to which the Dickinsons would trade in their 1983 Buick Regal, with a trade-in value of $2200, on the purchase of a 1996 Nissan Sentra.

The Dickinsons were then presented with a number of form documents to complete. Those documents included a "Retail Installment Sales Contract" and a "Retail Buyer's Order." The Retail Installment Sales Contract *986 included the negotiated terms, such as the descriptions of the vehicles; the price of the new vehicle; the trade-in value of the old vehicle; the amount to be financed; the annual percentage rate for the interest on the loan; the amount and number of installment payments; and the total amount of the payments. The Retail Installment Sales Contract also provided that the contract would be assigned to Aegis Auto Finance, Inc. ("Aegis"), for financing of the purchase. It was signed by both David and Sandra Dickinson.

The Retail Buyer's Order contained some of those terms, namely, the descriptions of the vehicles; the price of the new vehicle; the trade-in value of the old vehicle; and the difference in value between the trade-in and the new car. However, it differed from the Retail Installment Sales Contract in two significant respects. First, it contained something not found in the Retail Installment Sales Contract—an arbitration clause. Second, the Retail Buyer's Order was signed only by David Dickinson. The Dickinsons left their Buick at Chris Myers and drove away in the new Nissan.

The events that followed this transaction and when they occurred are controverted. The Dickinsons state: "Several days later, [a Chris Myers employee] telephoned [them]... and asked them to bring in some additional documents relating to their financial condition and to sign some new paperwork. When questioned, [he] indicated that this was standard operating procedure and that there was no problem with the financing." Petition for Writ of Mandamus, at 4. Chris Myers states that it first telephoned the Dickinsons after it received notice from Aegis that Aegis had "rejected" the Retail Installment Sales Contract on the ground that the transaction was "over financed." Chris Myers also says that Aegis demanded "verification" of the Dickinsons' lease payments and their salaries.

The parties do agree that Mrs. Dickinson responded to the telephone call by visiting the Chris Myers dealership. The Dickinsons state that Mrs. Dickinson visited Chris Myers "to drop off the information that [was] requested." During that visit, she executed a second Retail Installment Sales Contract, which "correct[ed] the over financing on the original contract." Brief in Opposition to Petition for Writ of Mandamus, at 4.

The second Retail Installment Sales Contract, which, like the first, does not include an arbitration clause, contains signatures purporting to be those of David and Sandra Dickinson. The Dickinsons, however, contend that David Dickinson's signature on that document was forged by someone at Chris Myers.

The Dickinsons also state that some days later, they received another telephone call from Chris Myers, the caller this time "ask[ing] them to bring the [automobile] back to the lot so that Chris Myers could make some minor repairs to [it] while the paperwork was being processed." Petition for Writ of Mandamus, at 4. They further state:

"The Dickinsons obliged and returned the vehicle and [Chris Myers] gave them the use of a `loaner' car until the repairs were completed. Thereafter David Dickinson called the repair department on several occasions to see if the work was complete on the 1996 Nissan Sentra. On or about February 21, 1996, the repair department advised David Dickinson that he could come and pick up the vehicle. When he arrived at the repair shop [he] was met by a representative of Chris Myers who told him that he would not be allowed to pick the car up and [that] the whole deal was off. Chris Myers did not allow David Dickinson to pick up the 1996 Nissan Sentra [; it] kept the `loaner' car, and [it] never returned the 1983 Buick Regal trade-in vehicle to the Dickinsons."

Id. at 4-5.

Chris Myers, on the other hand, maintains that the Dickinsons "failed to provide the additional financial information requested by Aegis" and that, because of their "continued failure to provide the documentation required by Aegis, the contract was ultimately rejected." Brief in Opposition to Petition for Writ of Mandamus, at 4. Chris Myers says the Dickinsons were "asked to retrieve the nonfunctional 1983 Buick Regal which they had traded in when they attempted to purchase the 1996 Nissan Sentra automobile," *987 but that they refused to do so. Id. After several weeks, Chris Myers had the Buick towed away.

On July 29, 1996, the Dickinsons sued Chris Myers and certain of its employees, alleging fraud, breach of contract, conversion, and "wrongful repossession." On October 18, 1996, Chris Myers moved to compel arbitration of the dispute and to stay all proceedings and discovery. On February 21, 1996, the trial judge granted the motion to compel arbitration.

The Dickinsons filed their petition in this Court, asking for a writ of mandamus directing the trial judge to vacate the arbitration order. They contend (1) that the arbitration clause is not broad enough to encompass their claims alleging conversion of the trade-in vehicle and wrongful repossession of the new car; (2) that Chris Myers waived its right to compel arbitration; (3) that the trial court should allow discovery to proceed; and (4) that Sandra Dickinson, who did not sign a document containing an arbitration clause, should not be compelled to arbitrate her claims.

I. Scope of the Arbitration Clause

We disagree with the Dickinsons' contention that the arbitration clause is not broad enough to encompass their claims alleging conversion of the 1983 Buick and wrongful repossession of the 1996 Nissan. The Retail Buyer's Order provided in part:

"Buyer and Dealer agree that all claims, demands, disputes and controversies of every kind or nature that may arise between them concerning any of the negotiations leading to the sale of the vehicle, the terms and provisions of the sale, the performance or condition of the vehicle, or any other aspects of the vehicle and its sale shall be settled by binding arbitration....

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Ritter v. Grady Automotive Group, Inc.
973 So. 2d 1058 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2007)
Doleac v. Real Estate Professionals, LLC
911 So. 2d 496 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 2005)
Barry Doleac v. Real Estate Professionals, LLC
Mississippi Supreme Court, 2004
AmSouth Bank v. Looney
883 So. 2d 1207 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2003)
Johnson v. Investment Co. of South, L.L.C.
869 So. 2d 1156 (Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama, 2003)
Wolff Motor Co. v. White
869 So. 2d 1129 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2003)
Russell v. Performance Toyota, Inc.
826 So. 2d 719 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 2002)
Ex Parte Majors
827 So. 2d 85 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2002)
Credit Sales, Inc. v. Crimm
815 So. 2d 540 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2001)
Ex Parte Greenstreet, Inc.
806 So. 2d 1203 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2001)
Charles Russell v. Performance Toyota, Inc.
Mississippi Supreme Court, 2001
Poarch v. Alfa Mutual Insurance Co.
799 So. 2d 949 (Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama, 2000)
Ex Parte Hopper
736 So. 2d 529 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1999)
Ex Parte Rush
730 So. 2d 1175 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1999)
First Family Financial Services, Inc. v. Rogers
736 So. 2d 553 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1999)
Infiniti of Mobile, Inc. v. Office
727 So. 2d 42 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1999)
State ex rel. United Asphalt Suppliers, Inc. v. Sanders
511 S.E.2d 134 (West Virginia Supreme Court, 1998)
STATE EX REL. UNITED ASPHALT v. Sanders
511 S.E.2d 134 (West Virginia Supreme Court, 1998)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
711 So. 2d 984, 1998 WL 57754, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ex-parte-dickinson-ala-1998.